Ulster Final 2008 - Armagh vs Fermanagh

[rionach 4]

Fermanagh beat a Monaghan team that was tipped for greatness this year and certainly one of the favourites for the Anglo -Celt and then went on to defeat National league winners Derry who had already beaten Donegal in Ballybofey and who were the bookies fav for the title  while Armagh beat a very poor Cavan team and a down team that that got carried away with its victory over a shadow Tyrone team and Armagh are the favourites in the final.......... Something doesnt add up here !!!!!!

[Tyrone Dreamer]

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Armagh have won 6 ulster titles in the last 10 years while Fermanagh have never managed to win one. That tradition takes a lot of pressure of the Armagh players and they will treat this as just another game. On paper Armagh also look stronger up front.

[rionach 4]

Point taken Tyrone dreamer  but You might also add that fermanagh should have the greater hunger for the game. I went through Fermanagh yesterday and every town had bunting ,banners flags etc and really they are looking on this as their all-ireland . I am an armagh fan but I said from the moment they beat Monaghan that this was the first time I had seen a Fermanagh team with the realistic chance of winning an Ulster title and armagh have played them quite a few times over this past ten years. I know banners and all dont win games but I have spoken to quite a few of the ferm. folk and they are very confident. Armagh have a new manager and from the team that played Donegal last year no marsden , Mc conville McGeeney McNulty and from the year before no Mc Entees . still think the favs tag slighltly strange .

[Bulwinkle]

Point taken Tyrone dreamer  but You might also add that fermanagh should have the greater hunger for the game. I went through Fermanagh yesterday and every town had bunting ,banners flags etc and really they are looking on this as their all-ireland . I am an armagh fan but I said from the moment they beat Monaghan that this was the first time I had seen a Fermanagh team with the realistic chance of winning an Ulster title and armagh have played them quite a few times over this past ten years. I know banners and all dont win games but I have spoken to quite a few of the ferm. folk and they are very confident. Armagh have a new manager and from the team that played Donegal last year no marsden , Mc conville McGeeney McNulty and from the year before no Mc Entees . still think the favs tag slighltly strange .

Well it was the 12th last weekend.

[saffron sam2]

Hard not to go with Armagh, given their greater experience at this level, their relatively untroubled route to the final, the return to fitness of Ronan Clarke and a management that has proved itself much more tactically adept than Derry's.

Still there are very valid arguments to be made for Fermanagh, having already taken out two of last year's quarter-finalists and having appointed a manager who is as professional and confident as any manager in Ireland.

Whilst the Derry and Monaghan games were won to a large extent on the line, I think Armagh's management will do enough to ensure that Fermanagh's game plan is negated.

Having said that, ignore Malachy O'Rourke's contribution at your peril. I remember in 1992, when Fermanagh were ranked 9th of 9 Ulster teams and when Ulster had the reigning All-Ireland and National League champions, O'Rourke insisted that his wedding be held the week after the Ulster final, such was his confidence that the Erne men would reach their first first final in ten years. Such confidence was obviously misplaced then, but it gives an insight into the man's thinking. And who should have turned up at the hotel on the wedding day only Jack Charlton.

I fear that, not for the first time in his life, O'Rourke may have his thunder stolen on the biggest of big days.

Armagh by 4.

[GaelicFan]

Come on fermanagh this is it! Whats the views on the starting line up & what subs will be used throughout? Lets hope there will be plenty of celebrations afterwards in Lisnaskea!! Best of luck to all the boys

[Orior]

I think our new manager will see us through. Up Armagh!

[Skiddybadoo]

To be honest Orior, I hope it is our players that see us through, with as little intervention as possible from the sideline.  All this talk of tactics scares me a bit.  I think McDonnell has Armagh playing a sweeter more creative game.  At times during the League when we were playing great stuff we looked unfettered by tactics with players making and creating supporting runs.  It looked simple and brilliant at times.  My fear is that we think we have to come up with something to counter Fermanagh's gameplan.  I believe Armagh have a stronger 15 and also a stronger bench.  Let them worry about us. 

[haveaharp]

  Let them worry about us. 

The most sensible post on this thread to date.

[Uladh]

Would any of our fermanagh brethren like to have a stab at the starting line up so we can do a comparison?

McDonnell has two decisions to make from an armagh point of view. first, aaron k will come back in so who to leave out? probably between donaghy and moriarty but habits thus far indicate donaghy will be dropped. then in the forward line there seems to be a decision between McKeever and mallon for the centre forward jersey. again, i suspect McDonnell will stick with what has worked so far.

That'd leave armagh as

             hearty
Mallon      Bellew     Moriarty
McKeever O'Rourke  Kernan
      McGrane  Toner
O'Rourke  McKeever  Vernon
McDonnell  Clarke     Kernan

[Uladh]

Let them worry about us. 

Sorry to disagree but that is the mindset of many subsequently beaten teams and McDonnell doesn't have the luxary of that type of bravado

[Our Nail Loney]

Would any of our fermanagh brethren like to have a stab at the starting line up so we can do a comparison?

McDonnell has two decisions to make from an armagh point of view. first, aaron k will come back in so who to leave out? probably between donaghy and moriarty but habits thus far indicate donaghy will be dropped. then in the forward line there seems to be a decision between McKeever and mallon for the centre forward jersey. again, i suspect McDonnell will stick with what has worked so far.

That'd leave armagh as

              hearty
Mallon      Bellew     Moriarty
McKeever O'Rourke  Kernan
       McGrane  Toner
O'Rourke  McKeever  Vernon
McDonnell  Clarke     Kernan

Think McDonnell will stick to the same formula as well, pity for Donaghy and Mallon though whio did really well last time out, specially donaghy

[Skiddybadoo]

Let them worry about us. 

Sorry to disagree but that is the mindset of many subsequently beaten teams and McDonnell doesn't have the luxary of that type of bravado

I would say that my reasons for saying that is based on my belief that we have a better team who are capable of playing direct, supportive football.  Of course this has to be meticulously drilled (and it is my understanding that the squad is), but our style is seeing us having players in positions to take the ball.  Under Joe, we seemed to isolate the front two with moves breaking down in the great green expanse of the field were the half forward line were supposed to be.  While MOR and Vernon drop back they seem (as do they all by  the looks of it) have the brief to hit and run into the spaces created.  SK has proved a crucial link here.

It would be nieve to think football now does not need tactical planning, but I think we can play to our strenghts from the get-go and counter what appears not to be working (again having been planned for).  My worry is that McDonnell still doesn't make changes quickly enough (I hark back to the U21 semi final when Hanratty was left on far too long and JJ Clarke was used too late). We have the strenght in depth to make telling effective changes: make them as soon as needed.

While I do believe we are the better team I don't think there'll be much in this at all. Fermanagh will be in our faces till the end and aemore than capable of winning. 

[bennydorano]

Let them worry about us. 

Sorry to disagree but that is the mindset of many subsequently beaten teams and McDonnell doesn't have the luxary of that type of bravado

I think Skiddybabdoo is right.  The 2003 AIF springs to mind were Big Joe tried to counter Harte's tactics rather than playing to our strengths and it went badly wrong.  There are going to be very few suprises come Sunday anyway, maybe one or two personnel wise but the systems will remain the same.

[balladmaker]

Has the game been confirmed as a sell out yet?  I know tickets are thin on the ground in Armagh, and I would assume there must be a ticket famine in Fermanagh as well.  Also Ticketmaster appear to be out of their allocation too.